It all started with the Boston tea party

Resistance to taxes had been in the colonies right from the beginning and they solved them without major skirmishes. But by the mid 1700’s the colonists were getting besieged with taxes imposed by England. One of the most notable was the Stamp Act of 1765. The British had been victorious in the French and Indian War and stationed troops in North America. Since this war was a costly occurrence, they felt that the colonists should pay for a portion of this debt. Therefore the British Parliament levied a tax on most printed material such as legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and other types of paper used in the colonies. This paper was to carry an embossed stamp on it and it was to be produced in England. The colonists were deemed to be English subjects and were upset about the imposition of this tax. The final straw came about when payment was to be made in British funds and not with the currency used in the colonies. This bill was passed without any representation by the colonists in the Parliament and they felt this assessment was an affront to them as they were taxed without their consent. A strong opposition began to gather and the King was also pressured by British manufacturers and businessmen as they felt that the colonists would boycott their products and eventually it worked. The King repealed this bill even before any tax was collected.

The Parliament however, realized that they had the right and power to legislate laws over the colonists and passed a few less dramatic taxes. The citizens reluctantly accepted these charges and as a result the seeds for the American Revolution were being sown. In 1773, the Tea Act was passed by Parliament and the citizens again relied on the fact they were being taxed without representation in London. The East Indian Company that owned all the rights to the shipping of the tea dispatched three ships of the taxed tea into Boston Harbor. Since tea was a basic to the colonists, the monarchy assumed that they would pay the tax rather than forgo their tea consumption. The officials of the town refused to have them unloaded and conversely would not let them be returned back to England. The ships remained untouched until Dec. 16, 1773, when a group of “citizens” some of which were disguised as Indians, arrived on the scene and tossed all of the tea into the Boston Harbor.

Britain retaliated with the passage of laws in March 1774 that were known as the Coercive Acts meant to punish the colonists for their resistance to the authority of the Parliament. These acts were destined to close the Boston harbor to any ships whatsoever until the tax was paid to the King and the East Indian Company collected the payment for their tea. By September 1774, the colonists organized the First Continental Congress in opposition. This Congress was to petition the King to repeal these Intolerable Acts and also to gather support for the resistance against them from the other 12 colonies. The British government then instituted military rule and ended Massachusetts claim for self government. The general in charge learned of weapons being gathered in Concord and he sent troops to confiscate them. The local militia, known as the “minutemen” engaged them, shots were fired and ultimately the American Revolution had begun.

Observation: To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. For many it is research.

Edward J. Loughrey, CFE, EA, LPA can be reached at ejltaxes@gmail.com or at 843-705 -7258.